Lewis b



(No Model.)

L. E. WATERMAN.

GRAIN DRILL.

No. 365,109. Patented June 21, 1887.

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LEWIS E. IVATERMAN, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOLINE PLO?COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GRAIN-DRILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,109, dated June 21,1887.

Application filed August 9, 1886. Serial No. 210,428.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lewis E. WATERMAN, of Molinc, in the county of RockIsland and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements inGrain-Drills, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to that class of walk ing-drills in which a framecarrying the seed dropping mechanism and a drill-tooth is sustained atits forward end by a central wheel which imparts motion through suitablegearing to the dropping mechanism; and the imdrill-tooth.

In the drawings, A A represent two horizontal timbers, forming the baseof the mainframe, suitably connected at their rear end, and provided,asusual,with handlesB, by which the attendant guides and controls themachine while walking in rear thereof.

0 represents the main wheel, located at the front of the machine,between the timbers A. Itis commonly east complete in one piece with along tubular hubthat is to say, a hub having a central openingtherethrough from one end to the other, for a purpose which willpresently appear. This hub revolves upon a central tubular axle, D,which is extended therethrough and seated at its ends in bearing-platesE, secured to the top of the timbers A. The tubular axle is secured inplace by means of hook-bolts F, which pass thereover, and thencedownward through the plates E and through the frame-timbers A to theunder side, where they are secured by nuts. The bolts thus applied servethe double purpose of holding the axle against longitudinal or rotarymotion and securing the plates E firmly in place on the frame. At itsouter end the (No model.)

tubular axle is provided in an exposed position with an opening, a, forthe introduction of oil or other lubricant, and at one or more pointswithin the hub the tube is provided with openings 1), through which theoil may escape to the inner surface of the hub.

The bearing-platesE are adapted to receive and encircle the ends of thehub, in order to seal the joints and prevent the entrance of dust andother foreign matters to the wearingsurfaces.

If desired ,washers of felt or equivalent elastie material may beintroduced between the ends of the hub and the plates E, as shown atThese washers will serve the twofold purpose of preventing the escape ofthelubrieant and of closing more effectually the joints between theparts.

For the purpose of holding the bearingplates E inward against the endsof the hub, I pass centrally through the axle and through thebearing-plates a horizontal bolt, G, having a head on one end and a nuton the other. If desired, caps (I may be placed around this bolt at theouter ends of the bearing-plates E; but these are not necessary featuresof the construction.

By the construction and arrangement of the parts above described I amenabled to support the wheel firmly in place, to compensate for wear,and to keep the wearing-surfaces thoroughly lubricated at all times.

At a suitable point on the frame I mount a seed-dropping mechanismconsisting of a horizontal base-plate, II, bolted firmly in place, ahorizontal dropper-plate, I, provided with a series of seed-cellstherethrough, a hopper or seed-box, J, above the dropper-plate, and anindependent cut-off. The seed-cells, being filled from the mass above,are carried successively by the rotation of the plate beneath thecut-off and over an opening through which the seed descends, as insimilar mechanisms at present known in the art.

The dropper-plate is provided at its under side with spurteeth andreceives motion from a beveled pinion, I}, mounted on one end of ashaft, M, which is extended forward and provided with a second pinion,N, engaging teeth 0, formed on the side of the main wheel. As

shown in Fig. 1, there are three series or circles of these teeth atdifferent distances from. the center, so that the speed of the pinion Nand the feed devices may be modified by ad justing the pinion N toengage the teeth of one or another series. To permit this adj ustment,the pinion N is secured to its shaft by a set-screw or equivalentfastening.

The shaftM is supported at its forward end by a plate, P, slotted andsecured to the frame by a bolt passing through said slot, thisconstruction allowing the shalt and pinion to be adjusted to compensatefor wear, so that the pinion will at all times run in close engagementwith its driving-teeth. Therear end of theshaft M is supportedin aplate, Q, arranged to swing vertically, in order that the pinion L maybe thrown out of engagement when the dropping mechanism is to bestopped.

The frame Q is formed with arms or journals'which are mounted one in theplate H and the other in a plate, R, bolted to one of the frame-timbers.The plate Q, has its for ward journal elongated, so that the plate maybe moved forward to compensate for wear between its front side and therear face of the pinion, and to permit this compensating ad-' justmentthe plateR is slotted and secured by a bolt passing through the slot.

In order to permit the proper movement ofthe parts to effect thedisengagement of the pinion, the journals of the plate Qare arranged ina line oblique to the axis of the shaft M, as shown. The movement oftheframe Q, to throw the pinion into and out ofgear is effected by a 33rod, S, attached thereto and extending thence upward by the side of oneof the handles 13, where its upper end is mounted on an eccentric lever,T, pivoted to the handle in such position that itmay be convenientlyoperated by 40 the attendant. NVhen this eccentric is turned theframetimbers A, as plainly shown in Fig.

5, this arrangement holding the tooth against lateral motion andpermitting it to swing backward and forward, as required. The

tooth is maintained normally in its operative position by forked bracesV, secured at their ends to the frame-timbers and united at their rearends to an car on the tooth by a wooden break-pin, f, or otherwise.

The plate or bracket Q, instead of being cast complete in one piece withthe rear bearing for the shaft M, may be made, as shown in Fig. 6, withits free end divided or forked, to embrace a bearing-block, q, swiveledto it by studs entering slots in the upper and under sides of block q;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In awalking-planter, the ground-wheel havingatubular hub, in combinationwith the main frame, a continuous tubular axle extending through andbeyond the ends of the hub and provided within the hub, and alsoexterior thereto, with perforations, whereby the axle forms alubricant-receptacle, and cap-plates, substantially as described,closing the ends of the hub and axle, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

2. In combination with thewheelhaving the tubular hub, the tubular axlepassing through and beyond said wheel, the endplates, E, flanged toencircle the ends of the hub, and the elastic packing inserted betweensaid plates and the ends of the hub, as described, whereby the oil isretained and dust and dirt excluded from the wearing-surfaces.

3. In combination with the wheel having a tubular hub, the tubular axlepassing therethrough, the plates Fl, serving as bearingsfor said axleand as end plates for the hub, and l the bolts F, applied, as described,to hold both the axle and the bearingplates in position and connect themwiththe frame.

4.. In combination with the dropper-plate having beveled teeth, thedriving-shaft, the pinion fixed on said shaft and engaging the teeth ofthe dropper-plate, and the swinging shaft-supporting arm Q, having itsaxis arranged in aline oblique to the axis of the shaft, whereby itispermitted to swing and throw the pinion into and out of action withoutbinding or cramping upon the shaft.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 30th day of July,1886, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

LEWIS E. VVATERM AN.

\Vitnesses:

A. HARSON, L. 0. Ann.

